Lack of Supply of All V lenses and now many of the XCD lenses

[Paul2660]

I am surprised that more people are not commenting or concerned about the current supply status for all the V lenses 28,38,55,and 90.  In the US, I don't believe Hasselblad has shipped any of these in any quantity since Jan 2024.  I know that all the major Camera suppliers in the US have been out since Dec 2023 for all the V lenses and the 90mm has been almost non existent unless you were in the first and only round of shipments.  Now the XCD lenses are starting to dry up, the 35-75 out of stock till May.  The dates of availability of the V lenses has also slipped back at least 3 times.  The 28, 38 are now showing Late May, the 28 was showing late March, but it's slipped back to May also.  The 90, just states backordered. 

It's hard to use a camera without a lens, and with these kind of dates, I have to wonder if Hasselblad/DJI have run into a supplier problem.  As I understand it Hasselblad has never actually made a lens, instead using Fuji for the HC lenses, Nitto for the original XCD lenses and now Panasonic for the V glass.  I have been told Hasselblad/DJI still makes the shutter but I have only heard that from my dealer. 

It appears that the supply issue is also not just in the US, as I have read some posts from Germany, and other mainland European locations where the lenses are also totally not in stock.

Hopefully this situation can get better sooner than later?

Paul C

[Larsb]

It's the same situation here in Australia.  I'm waiting for the 90v, but no one can get one, and the various camera store websites here have all the Hasselblad stuff on backorder.  A friend of mine went to Beijing (to the Hasselblad store there), and even there could not get a 90v and the advice from the salespeople was that it is at least a 6 month wait.

[JCM-Photos]

to be exhaustive, The V system cameras ran with Zeiss optics and some Schneider, The very first Hasselblad (before V system) had Kodak lenses.

I guess the problem is also that Hasselblad has it's own optical department for basic engineering that has very tight quality specs for detail engineering and manufacturing done by third party companies, rejecting some prototypes (for ex. XCD30) and perhaps stopping production in case of quality issues ?

Hasselblad is today a very small boutique brand, developpment is spread between different locations: Göteborg Sweden main location, Copenhagen Denmark with around 10 people specialized in software and image algorithms, Shenzen China, USA ?

[davidjiang]

It's the same situation here in Australia.  I'm waiting for the 90v, but no one can get one, and the various camera store websites here have all the Hasselblad stuff on backorder.  A friend of mine when to Beijing (to the Hasselblad store there), and even there could not get a 90v and the advice from the salespeople was that it is at least a 6 month wait.

Yes, in China every HB/DJI store will tell you any V lens need register and wait at least 6 months, for 90V even longer.
But the HB online store at JD.com will have supply every few month allowing reserved online buyers to "seckill" at a specific time. There will be a batch of 28P and 90V available on March 25 (only 1 90V and maybe 2 or 3 28P), already 480+ buyers for 28P and 860+ buyers for 90V reserved......
The list price for 90V in China is about USD 4000, black market already reach USD 4800, 28P listed as USD 1666, black market is USD 2600. Even second hand one will be at least USD500 more than the list price!!!

[Paul2660]

Sad state of affairs. I don't see Hasselblad being more of a boutique brand than Leica. However Leica seems to have a much better handle on their lenses. Interesting data from China also. Based on those wait time looking like a 90V will not be happening for me this year or maybe next.

As I have said other places, strange marketing strategy. Create a great camera but don't have any lenses for it for over a year. (The older XCD 90mm and 21mm have been discontinued none of the V lenses are in stock). And I thought Fuji was having trouble when they could not ship their T/S lenses.

Paul

[PeoOrvendal]

I ordered a 55V from Hasselblad's US online store last Friday, it shipped Monday and will arrive at my house tomorrow.

[mjhillsc]

Leica is notorious for creating scarcity; I have waited about 18 months for a lens that is still "not available."  I gave up.  With respect to the Hasselblad supply issues, it might be a demand issue.  But, based upon my experience with the 38mm, there may be some issues that Hasselblad is trying to quickly resolve.  Diglloyd early on pointed out problems with the 38mm wherein it back focuses at certain apertures. I experienced the same problem and promptly returned the lens.  In my experience the original XCD lenses are rock solid rockstars.  The new lenses are just ok optically.  I'm sure some will take issue with my last comment, so I will reiterate that it is just my opinion.

[Paul2660]

I can only speak to the SL line of Leica lenses, as I am not a M user.  The SL line has so been very well stocked, at least in the US.  I realize there is a much larger market for used SL glass than the XCD lenses.  However all the SL zooms and primes have had good stock at least over the last 3 years.  The 21mm was just announced about 2 months ago, but it shows in stock also.  The SL3, being brand new, I don't expect it to be available.  Interesting to note, that Leica has the lenses in stock, but the SL3 is in very limited supply and supposedly will stay that way for at least the next few months. 

Paul

[EdwardWeston]

I can say (working in a camera store myself) that this is not just specific to Hasselblad. Many companies now have "supply" issues. What's the real reason behind it? This even we don't know. It's like an evil game camera companies play now, I can list my reasons (mostly oddly marketing numbers, either for internal investors and/or public, press etc). But it's def not just Hasselblad.

I will also note though - with the introduction of the XD/XCD line and up pricing from many OTHER manufactures such as Sony, Nikon and Canon in the full frame arena, in addition to HEAVY Youtube influencer marketing on Hasselblad (and Fuji's part) the medium format world of cameras has opened up to many hobbyist. After all - a Canon R5 at launch retail almost $4K and initial RF lenses ranging from $1700-3000 made shooting something like a Fuji 100s, buying a used Leica for similar pricing, or an X1D series camera more appealing.

So, in additional to camera companies games, there is indeed a huge uptick in new and used XCD lens sales.

I remember this with the Canon RF line. We used to be STOCKED with RP and RF used glass. Ended up getting an R5 and I remember going to buy some of our used RF glass and most of it was gone. Not only that, the used market price for such went up vs if I had bought it several months earlier.

I see the same with the XCD lenses used. We had a decent stock at amazing prices. All of sudden Youtube was flooded with X2D and 90mm V lens reviews from all the major influencers and the X1D's and XCD used quickly sold out.

I also shot with many of the X100 bodies. Yes, other photographers knew about the 100 series but it wasn't until Fuji hit hard with social media influencers on the 100V that I heard so many people talking about the 100 series cameras. Then they went out of stock. After 6 months, I guessed Fuji basically was no longer making them and had a new camera in the works.

[Orokaj]

It's the same situation here in Australia.  I'm waiting for the 90v, but no one can get one, and the various camera store websites here have all the Hasselblad stuff on backorder.  A friend of mine went to Beijing (to the Hasselblad store there), and even there could not get a 90v and the advice from the salespeople was that it is at least a 6 month wait.

Got lucky, Camerapro in Brisbane had one 90v last Xmas.

[ymc226]

Got lucky, Camerapro in Brisbane had one 90v last Xmas.

Same here in the USA.  I previously signed up on the Hasselblad USA site to be notified when the 90V became available.  Got the email 12/05/23, ordered the same day but it did not ship for about 3 weeks.  I guess they know stock will be arriving but send the notifications weeks in advance. 

Now I am waiting for the 28P notification.  I am new to Hasselblad but if they are anything like Leica, only the official dealers or stores will have access to the most in demand lenses or cameras such that I don't bother to put my name on the waitlist for other third party dealers.

[Hendrix_CI]

Got lucky, Camerapro in Brisbane had one 90v last Xmas.

Same here in the USA.  I previously signed up on the Hasselblad USA site to be notified when the 90V became available.  Got the email 12/05/23, ordered the same day but it did not ship for about 3 weeks.  I guess they know stock will be arriving but send the notifications weeks in advance. 

Now I am waiting for the 28P notification.  I am new to Hasselblad but if they are anything like Leica, only the official dealers or stores will have access to the most in demand lenses or cameras such that I don't bother to put my name on the waitlist for other third party dealers.

Who do you believe is an "official dealer" and can you give some examples of "third party dealers"?


Steve Hendrix/CI

[Orokaj]

Got lucky, Camerapro in Brisbane had one 90v last Xmas.

Same here in the USA.  I previously signed up on the Hasselblad USA site to be notified when the 90V became available.  Got the email 12/05/23, ordered the same day but it did not ship for about 3 weeks.  I guess they know stock will be arriving but send the notifications weeks in advance. 

Now I am waiting for the 28P notification.  I am new to Hasselblad but if they are anything like Leica, only the official dealers or stores will have access to the most in demand lenses or cameras such that I don't bother to put my name on the waitlist for other third party dealers.

Who do you believe is an "official dealer" and can you give some examples of "third party dealers"?


Steve Hendrix/CI

Hi Steve, saw your comment on the same topic over at GETDPI. Not a good outlook for dealers at the moment, HB is dealing with limited manufacturing capability and at the same time prioritising their own stores/webstores. I think its a transition they are going through together with their DJI counterpart.

[ymc226]

Got lucky, Camerapro in Brisbane had one 90v last Xmas.

Same here in the USA.  I previously signed up on the Hasselblad USA site to be notified when the 90V became available.  Got the email 12/05/23, ordered the same day but it did not ship for about 3 weeks.  I guess they know stock will be arriving but send the notifications weeks in advance. 

Now I am waiting for the 28P notification.  I am new to Hasselblad but if they are anything like Leica, only the official dealers or stores will have access to the most in demand lenses or cameras such that I don't bother to put my name on the waitlist for other third party dealers.

Who do you believe is an "official dealer" and can you give some examples of "third party dealers"?


Steve Hendrix/CI

By official dealer, for both Hasselblad and Leica, only the manufacturer website stores and manufacturer owned stores will give you the best chance.  Third party dealers like B&H and the like (approved from the manufacturer to sell) can eventually get the equipment but I find only much later.  This applies in my experience to the post Covid era.  Previously, at least in the US, before Leica started opening up their own stores, I could call small town mom & pop camera shops that were Leica dealers and locate hard to find items.  That's how I got my Leica M9 monochrom when first released. 

[Ralf]

Last year a DJI/Hasselblad shop opened 3km from me. At that point I had already bought my X2D and my desired lenses from a professional photo shop, but was still very happy about the shop opening. After visiting the shop I unfortunately felt embarrassed for them. The employees were very friendly and tried very hard, but I still had the feeling that they weren't really prepared for people to want to test the cameras and lenses in the shop. (Now where is the one battery? Oops, not charged.) The employees' photo-technical knowledge is also (sorry) far from that of the professional photo shop. In addition, DJI/Hasselblad shops are prohibited from giving discounts, no matter what or how much you want to buy. Fortunately, this is different in the professional photo shop. If Hasselblad wants to limit itself to marketing in its own shops and the web store in the future, it will probably scare away customers. I really hope that Hasselblad doesn't go down that route.